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Bean Juice and Chocohol

Southwest Chocolate and Coffee Fest

In 1662, a cardinal in the Vatican sagely ruled that "Liquidum non frangit jejunum." The gist was: Liquids, chocolate among them, do not constitute a break in fasting. So it's no harm, no foul for you chocolate- and coffee- loving masochists who've been avoiding the brown stuff. The Pope is on your side this weekend at the Southwest Chocolate and Coffee Fest—as are nearly 40 local chocolatiers, coffee roasters, caterers, bakeries and breweries. (Beer is a liquid, yes?) There'll also be cooking demos, seminars and live entertainment. Oh, and kid and adult chocolate eating contests will happen throughout the weekend. For a $5 registration fee, contestants will get Toll House chocolate chip cookies, a scoop of Nestle chocolate ice cream and a bottle of Nestle chocolate milk. The first person who finishes wins. Get all the gooey details and advance tickets ($8 per day, or get a weekend pass for $15) at chocolateandcoffeefest.com.